Lang-Lang Gong, Yun-Feng Ma, Meng-Qi Zhang, Hong-Yan Feng, Yang-Yuntao Zhou, Ya-Qin Zhao, J Joe Hull, Youssef Dewer, Ming He, Peng He
Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene black was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, Blattella germanica . RNAi knockdown of B. germanica black ( Bgblack ) had no effect on survival, but did result in black pigmentation of the thoraxes, abdomens, heads, wings, legs, antennae, and cerci due to cuticular accumulation of melanin...
April 16, 2024: Bulletin of Entomological Research